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An award-winning dill pickle recipe that balances crunch, tang, garlic, and fresh dill. It’s a classic refrigerator pickle style (quick pickles).
🥒 Award-Winning Dill Pickles
Equipment
- 6 or 8 Qt. Stockpot with lid (must be non-reactive high-quality 304 or 316Ti stainless steel)
- Quart-size glass jars with lids (sterilized if canning)
- 3 Qt. Saucepan for brine
Ingredients (makes ~4 quarts)
- 3 lbs. pickling cucumbers (3–4 inches long, firm & fresh)
- 6 cups water (filtered or purified; avoid chlorinated tap water)
- 2 cups of white distilled vinegar (5% acidity)
- ½ cup pickling salt (do NOT substitute table salt, iodine clouds brine)
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 teaspoons of mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for spicy pickles)
- 8 fresh dill heads (or 4 tsp dill seed if dill heads unavailable)
- Grape leaves (optional, 1 per jar, for extra crispness)
Brine
- In the 3 Qt. saucepot, combine water, vinegar, and salt.
- Bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring until salt dissolves. Remove from heat and let the brine cool slightly.
Preparation
- Wash cucumbers well, trim ¼ inch off blossom ends (this prevents softening).
- Pack whole cucumbers vertically into jars, leaving ½ inch headspace.
- Or slice into Spears (quarters from top to bottom)
- Into each jar, add:
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 dill heads (or ½ tsp dill seed)
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp peppercorns
- 1 grape leaf (if using)
- Pour hot brine over cucumbers, leaving ½ inch headspace.
- Seal jars with lids.
Options
- Refrigerator Pickles (Crispiest): Let jars cool to room temp, then refrigerate for at least 48 hours before tasting. Best after 1–2 weeks. Keeps 3 months refrigerated.
- Canning for Shelf Storage:
- Process sealed jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (adjust for altitude).
- Cool, check seals, store in a cool dark place up to 1 year.
Tips for Success
- Use pickling cucumbers (Kirby type), not salad cukes.
- Pick same-day cucumbers if possible, for maximum crunch.
- Add 1 tsp sugar per jar if you prefer a slightly balanced flavor.
- The grape leaf trick (or oak/cherry leaves) adds tannins that help maintain crispness.